Buxus plant named ‘Eseles’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buxus  plant named ‘Eseles’, characterized by its compact, mounded and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; green and yellow variegated leaves; and good winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Buxus microphylla var. koreana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ESELES’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buxusplant, commercially produced as an ornamental shrub, botanically knownas Buxus microphylla var. koreana and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Eseles’ .

The new Buxus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Buxusmicrophylla var. koreana ‘Winter Gem’, not patented. The new Buxus plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant of ‘WinterGem’ in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Muskegon, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buxus plant by hardwood cuttings in acontrolled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since December, 1990, hasshown that the unique features of this new Buxus plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buxus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Eseles’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Eseles’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Buxusplant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounded and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   3. Green and yellow variegated leaves.    -   4. Good winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Buxus differ primarily from plants of the mutationparent, ‘Winter Gem’, in leaf coloration as plants of ‘Winter Gem’ havesolid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Buxus can be compared to plants of Buxus microphylla‘Peergold’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,052. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Buxusdiffered from plants of ‘Peergold’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buxus were more compact than plants of        ‘Peergold’.    -   2. Plants of the new Buxus were more uniform in plant shape than        plants of ‘Peergold’.    -   3. Plants of the new Buxus were denser and bushier than and not        as open as plants of ‘Peergold’.    -   4. Plants of the new Buxus had broader leaves than plants of        ‘Peergold’.    -   5. Variegation of leaves of the new Buxus was more distinctly        contrasting than variegation of leaves of ‘Peergold’.    -   6. Plants of the new Buxus were more winter hardy than plants of        ‘Peergold’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Buxus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Buxus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Eseles’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘Eseles’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in an outdoor nurseryin Grand Haven, Mich. Plants were two years old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buxus microphylla var. koreana ‘Eseles’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Buxus microphylla    var. koreana ‘Winter Gem’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By hardwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one month at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one year at 25°            C.        -   Root description.—Thick and fine; cream in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Evergreen shrub with compact, mounding and            uniform plant habit; freely branching habit, about 82            lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy            appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing stems: Close to 144A.            Color, developed stems: Close to 199D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Obtuse to cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Center, close to            132A; towards the margins, close to 143B. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Center, close to 132A; towards the margins, close            to 8A; venation, similar to leaf surface coloration. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Center, close to 143A;            towards the margins, close to 150B; venation, similar to            surface coloration.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 132A.-   Flower description: Flower initiation and development has not been    observed on plants of the new Buxus.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Buxus have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Buxus.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Buxus have been observed to    tolerate high temperatures of about 30° C. and to be hardy to USDA    Hardiness Zone 5.

1. A new and distinct Buxus plant named ‘Eseles’ as illustrated anddescribed.